Cards hand Bonham first district loss

Tuesday

Apr 11, 2017 at 12:01 AMApr 11, 2017 at 1:01 PM

staff reports

Melissa’s Cardinals (5-1) moved into a tie for first place in District 11-4A on April 8, after their crucial 6-5 road win at Bonham. In this, the Warriors’ first district loss, the Cards rallied back from 1-0 and 4-3 deficits for the victory.

Melissa hitters bested their Bonham counterparts, 12-5, and it came on the heels of the Cards’ 13-hit attack at Celina. Adam Davis collected three hits, including two doubles, in four at-bats to lead Melissa, as teammates Brady Morrison, Tate Whittington and Krisjon Segleski each posted a pair of hits. Segleski and Andrew Cole registered doubles in the win and one of Morrison’s hits went for three bases.

On the mound, Cole had another fine outing, scattering five hits and walking four over six innings of work, with four strikeouts. Davis came on in the seventh and closed it out with two strikeouts and a ground-out to third, punctuated by two walks.

Bonham starter Trevor Hartwell pitched 4.2 innings, allowing seven hits and five walks while striking out nine. Tanner Herriage relieved Hartwell in the fifth but worked only two outs before giving way to Cade Trompler, who struck out four and allowed no hits or walks in 1.2 innings.

The Cards had a 3-1 lead in the fourth inning when Bonham erupted for three runs to edge back ahead. In the fifth, back-to-back doubles by Davis and Cole got Melissa rolling, and with two outs Segleski doubled to left to bring home both runners. Leading, 5-4, in the sixth, Melissa’s Dalton Vestal started the insurance-run machine with a triple to right field. Morrison then singled him home with what turned out to be the game-winner.

In the Cards’ big three-run fourth, down 1-0, Whittington opened with a single to the left side and scored on Davis’ double to center field. Melissa then took its first lead of the game when Segleski’s sacrifice fly to left brought Davis home. Later, Isaiah Segovia’s single to left field scored David Crees from second base and the Cards led, 3-1.

Melissa’s 13-hit barrage stops Celina

Everyone in Melissa’s lineup got a hit in the Cardinals’ 8-5 win at Celina on Tuesday, April 4, with Dalton Vestal, Tate Whittington, Jake Burrow and Krisjon Segleski each posting two. Burrow collected a game-high three RBIs as well, as the Cards (4-1) remained in sole possession of second place in District 11-4A, behind Bonham. Melissa pitchers Brady Morrison and Adam Davis combined to four-hit the Bobcats, as Morrison struck out three and walked two while Davis notched a strikeout and a walk and gave up one hit in one inning of work.

The Cards broke open a 2-2 tie game with a five-run fifth inning. Vestal got the surge rolling with a single to the left side of diamond, followed by Morrison being hit by a pitch. Whittington then singled to short to load the bases, setting for table for Davis. Davis stepped in and slapped a first-pitch single to left, scoring Vestal and Morrison, and Melissa led, 4-2. After Andrew Cole was hit by a pitch to load the bases again, Burrow’s single to right field scored two more. Then, on a 3-1 pitch with one out, Segleski singled to left to score Cole and the Cards’ margin was 7-2.

Melissa added an insurance run in the seventh when Burrow lifted a double to center field that scored Cole from second. Celina (1-4) rallied for three runs in its last at-bat, but with two on and one out Davis got one batter to fly out to center then struck out the final Bobcat looking.

Celina broke on top, 2-0, in the second inning, but Melissa responded with single runs in the third and fourth to tie it. Morrison brought in the Cards’ first run in with a single to left that scored Grayson Hurst from third. In the fourth, it was Isaiah Segovia’s sacrifice fly to left that sent Cole home with the tying run.